The Wizard of Oz
Christmas 2024
Between the 11th and 14th December, come and join Hampton on Stage over the rainbow!
Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion set off on a journey to find the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz. However this time, they are also joined by the larger than life Aunt Em.
Join them on their journey where they will meet munchkins, a dashing prince and of course the evil Wicked Witch of the West!
Full of laughs, frivolity and yellow bricks, Hampton on Stage can't wait to send you on the way to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz! (He really IS a whiz of a wiz, if ever a wiz there was!)
Tickets to be realeased soon, but if you would love to join our cast or crew, just click the link below and send us an email letting us know!
Production Team
Director
Sara Shepherd BA Hons
As a child Sara attended stage school in London training in dance & acting. Sara continued her passion for the performing arts into college and university where she graduated from Goldsmiths College with a BA (Hons) in Drama and Theatre Arts. She gained her equity card working as an actress in London. In 2007 Sara set up the children’s theatre school Theatretrain Solihull. It is still running today at Ulverley Primary School providing singing, dancing and acting opportunities for children in Solihull aged 4-18yrs. (www.theatretrain.co.uk) Craig has been working at Theatretrain since 2010 and Amy joined as the dance teacher in 2017. In 2010 Sara trained as a giggle doctor with the Theodora Childrens Charity and began working as Dr Princezz bringing smiles to children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK. In 2013 Sara made it into the Guinness Book of Records as one of 150 Clown Doctors on a train in Bern, Switzerland.
Her theatre roles are too numerous to detail but have included Sybil in Daisy Pulls it Off, The Mother in Blood Wedding, Jodie in Can’t Stand up for Falling Down, Lady Jacqueline in Me and My girl and Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion.
TV work includes Green Wing, Holby City, WPC56, Doctors, Father Brown and several adverts for Gala Bingo Film work includes Closer, You, Me and Her, Big Bad Wolves and The Bridge.
Directing work includes The Darling Buds of May, After September, Sleeping Beauty Goes Back to the Future and too many shows to mention for Theatretrain.
Choreographer
Amy West BA Hons
Amy graduated from the University of Cumbria in 2015 with a BA (Hons) in Dance and Drama, and has been working as a professional choreographer ever since. After graduating she moved to Solihull to be with her other half and immediately joined the very vibrant Solihull Amdram circuit taking part in several shows. Amy joined Sara and Craig at Theatretrain Solihull in late 2017 as the dance teacher and has choreographed several shows for the school since including one at Nottingham Concert Halls. Amy has a passion for Ballet but her enormous repertoire spans across several different styles of Dance. Her favourite is Musical Theatre!
Amy continued her passion for teaching and in 2020 became a qualified primary school teacher. She now teaches year 2 Monday to Friday and her kids at Theatretrain on a Saturday morning as well as adhoc choreography projects.
Musical Director
Craig O'Connor BSc Hons
As a child, Craig was part of the hugely vibrant amdram circuit in Solihull. He performed in many musical theatre shows whilst still at school. He chose to continue his passion at college and then took it further by successfully auditioning for the highly regarded Music and Musical Theatre course at The London College of Music. He moved back to Birmingham in 2015 and has been working as a professional freelance singer ever since.
He also took on the position of singing teacher at Theatretrain Solihull. In 2019 Craig and Sara took a group of Theatretrain students to perform in a professional Christmas Choral production on the Videopolis stage with Minnie and Micky Mouse at Disneyland Paris. It was a breathtaking show as it had the most intricate harmonies created by Disney Performing Arts!
Craig has also hosted many hugely successful quiz nights for various companies online and in Birmingham and is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best quiz hosts in Birmingham. Craig absolutely loves the different genres of music that theatre (and definitely panto) can provide. On top of all of this Craig has just completed his degree in mathematics, and is currently undertaking a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics.